ROBOT CLEANER AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120232697A1
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choe, Suuk, Yi, Donghoon, Yoon, Jeongsuk, Lee, Seongsoo, Park, Taegon, Kim, Yiebin, Na, Sangik, Baek, Seungmin, Lee, Jeihun, Son, Hyuksoo, Kim, Younggie, Choi, Yoojin
• Granted Patent: US 9,429,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

Disclosed are a robot cleaner capable of performing a cleaning operation by selecting a cleaning algorithm suitable for the peripheral circumstances based on an analysis result of captured image information, and a controlling method thereof. The robot cleaner comprises an image sensor unit configured to capture image information when an operation instructing command is received, and a controller configured to analyze the image information captured by the image sensor unit, and configured to control a cleaning operation based on a first cleaning algorithm selected from a plurality of pre-stored cleaning algorithms based on a result of the analysis.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

an image sensor unit configured to capture image information when an operation instructing command is received; and

a controller configured to analyze the image information captured by the image sensor unit, and to control a cleaning operation based on a first cleaning algorithm selected from a plurality of pre-stored cleaning algorithms based on a result of the analysis.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the image sensor unit captures an upper side or a front side, and outputs information on the captured upper or front side.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller selects, from a plurality of cleaning algorithms, at least one first cleaning algorithm corresponding to an analysis result of the image information, and controls a cleaning operation based on the selected at least one first cleaning algorithms.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein when it is determined that image information can be analyzed, the controller selects a cleaning algorithm based on image information among the plurality of cleaning algorithms, and controls a cleaning operation based on the selected cleaning algorithm based on image information.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein when it is determined that image information cannot be analyzed, the controller selects any cleaning algorithm not based on image information among the plurality of pre-stored cleaning algorithms, and controls a cleaning operation based on the selected cleaning algorithm not based on image information.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the image sensor unit captures image information at a preset time interval under control of the controller during the cleaning operation.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, wherein the controller analyzes the image information captured at the preset time interval, and selects at least one second cleaning algorithm among the plurality of pre-stored cleaning algorithms based on a result of the analysis.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the controller controls a cleaning operation based on the first cleaning algorithm when the first and second cleaning algorithms are equal to each other,

wherein the controller controls a cleaning operation based on the second cleaning algorithm when the first and second cleaning algorithms are different from each other.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the controller compares preset first priority information corresponding to the first cleaning algorithm, with preset second priority information corresponding to the second cleaning algorithm, and controls a cleaning operation based on a cleaning algorithm having a higher priority.

10. A controlling method of a robot cleaner, the method comprising:

capturing first image information when an operation instructing command is received;

analyzing the captured first image information;

selecting, from a plurality of cleaning algorithms, a first cleaning algorithm corresponding to an analysis result; and

controlling a cleaning operation based on the selected first cleaning algorithm.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the capturing first image information comprises:

capturing an upper side or a front side by an image sensor unit; and

outputting information on the captured upper or front side.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting a first cleaning algorithm corresponding to an analysis result comprises:

when it is determined that image information can be analyzed as a result of the analysis, selecting a cleaning algorithm based on image information among the plurality of cleaning algorithms; and

when it is determined that image information cannot be analyzed as a result of the analysis, selecting a cleaning algorithm not based on image information among the plurality of cleaning algorithms.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the controlling a cleaning operation based on the selected first cleaning algorithm comprises:

when the cleaning algorithm based on image information is selected, controlling a cleaning operation based on the selected cleaning algorithm based on image information; and

when the cleaning algorithm not based on image information is selected, controlling a cleaning operation based on the selected cleaning algorithm not based on image information.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

capturing second image information at a preset time interval during the cleaning operation;

analyzing the captured second image information;

selecting, from the plurality of cleaning algorithms, at least one second cleaning algorithm corresponding to an analysis result of the captured second image information; and

controlling a cleaning operation based on the selected at least one second cleaning algorithms.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling a cleaning operation based on the second cleaning algorithm comprises:

checking whether the first and second cleaning algorithms are equal to each other;

when the first and second cleaning algorithms are equal to each other as a check result, controlling a cleaning operation based on the first cleaning algorithm; and

when the first and second cleaning algorithms are different from each other as a check result, controlling a cleaning operation based on the second cleaning algorithm.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

capturing second image information at a preset time interval during the cleaning operation;

analyzing the captured second image information;

selecting, from the plurality of cleaning algorithms, at least one second cleaning algorithm corresponding to an analysis result of the captured second image information;

comparing preset first priority information corresponding to the first cleaning algorithm, with preset second priority information corresponding to the second cleaning algorithm; and

controlling a cleaning operation based on a cleaning algorithm having a higher priority as a result of the comparison.